NullPointer
Member
More like jumping into a soap opera. You needn't have watched it from the beginning to enjoy it or realize the setups for impactful moments.
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Can you play MGS4 without playing previous games?
- Thread starter Zoned
- Start date
ChawlieTheFair
pip pip cheerio you slags!
As some who did just that, yes, but you will not get anything. I played through 1 2 and 3 after 4, played through 4 again and it was all good.
Star Falcon
Member
It can be played standalone, but a lot of the references will have little meaning if you haven't played the previous installments.
Sons Of Anarchy
Banned
Like others have said get the newest MGS collection all games are on disc expect the first MGS and comes with a cool book.
Haeralis The BRave
Banned
You can, but that would be a stupid, horrible and general terrible decision.
My point was also that it makes no sense to skip the better entries. And IMO MGS4 has a ton of fanservice in terms of references to the other games.
NullPointer
Member
I can believe it, and there's no reason to skip on the previous games if that's what OP wants to do.
But MGS4 was my first MGS and it was one the highlights of last gen for me, without reservations. If anything, I think people who were attached to the characters and storylines over a long period of time seemed to have a negative reaction to MGS4 so I would hope people wouldn't set OP up to play the previous games just to join them in misery with MGS4. Not when OP could just enjoy it for the cheesy, philosophical, sexist, cloned limb super robot ninja awesome Tom Clancy romance novel fart-filled experience that it is.
Romars202129
Member
This is the problem with the series.. it's really hard to play out of order. Maybe the most difficult of any series out there, as there is ridiculous amounts of overlap and call backs.
Personally, for newbies, I suggest starting with MGS 3. It's been hd ified, and besides MGS 1, is the closest thing to a stand alone metal gear solid. Only it's also much more refined and better designed than 1, so you might actually be able to stomache it.
After that, you can maybe give 4 a shot, after giving a wiki a good study maybe.
Though I have to admit, I kinda wonder what someone would think playing 4 first.
I would love to see a lets play that captured that wtf-ery.
Personally, for newbies, I suggest starting with MGS 3. It's been hd ified, and besides MGS 1, is the closest thing to a stand alone metal gear solid. Only it's also much more refined and better designed than 1, so you might actually be able to stomache it.
After that, you can maybe give 4 a shot, after giving a wiki a good study maybe.
Though I have to admit, I kinda wonder what someone would think playing 4 first.
I would love to see a lets play that captured that wtf-ery.
What if it was totally fine? That would blow my mind more than any metal gear to date...
polyh3dron
Banned
Because it's a game and inherently inferior therefore compare it to something of low value?
With knowing nothing about Meryl, Eva, Bug Boss, Raiden, Liquid Snake and Revolver Ocelot, as well as a lack of familiarity with certain themes and locales in the previous games, MGS4 loses a great deal of its impact.
A lot of the game relies on callbacks to previous installments. You may not care about the callbacks because to you obviously, the story is worse than a low grade soap opera, but not everyone shares your opinion.
NullPointer
Member
There is that whole MGS database that you can download on the PS3. I enjoyed pouring through that after finishing up MGS4. I still barely knew what planet I was on, but it was nice to follow the string of madness from event to event and person to person.
I don't understand. I'm not comparing it to a soap opera out of a low value judgment. I think its honestly like a soap opera and I fucking loved it.
I think people are putting too much power into those callbacks and assuming people couldn't get anything out of the game otherwise, and it ain't so. Like this:
Really? I loved it. I also got what it was doing. It was anything but a non-experience.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Bullshit what anyone else say. A friend of mine played this with zero knowledge of previous entries and loved the game. He even felt that the game did a great job of establishing the characters and their previous relationships despite not having witnessed them firsthand.
So unless you have rocks for a brain, the game is perfectly enjoyable and playable if you've never played a previous MGS. Because my friend said so.
So unless you have rocks for a brain, the game is perfectly enjoyable and playable if you've never played a previous MGS. Because my friend said so.
SneakyStephan
Banned
The story is gibberish anyhow
just play it for the gameplay OP and either skip through the cutscenes or watch them for the shapely virtual butts I guess?
just play it for the gameplay OP and either skip through the cutscenes or watch them for the shapely virtual butts I guess?
Zeyphersan
Banned
It's not a good game if you've played and enjoyed the rest of them, so I doubt that's improved by not playing the entire series.
You can play it standalone easily as either way the story in MGS4 is a clusterfuck, but you probably won't appreciate some of the characters from the older games that appear and not to mention one of the chapters in the game.
I highly, very highly recommend getting the legacy collection or something and playing them all that way.
I highly, very highly recommend getting the legacy collection or something and playing them all that way.
Romars202129
Member
Well takin a step back, I can agree that MGS getts nuttier than squirrel shit, but I wouldn't compare it to a 'so bad, it's good' experience, per say, which I'm kinda taking from your posts...
It's more, you sorta get attached to the characters, which I think a lot of them are very very strong for the medium, and then your 'in' for the crazy ride you are dragged along for.
And honeslty, a couple of the MGS games feel at least somewhat like.. not normal, or grounded in reality... but more, yes, I can follow that. Like MGS 1 and 3. Whereas 2 and 4 are convoluted to the point of ridiculousness.
Robot Pants
Member
You can but you shouldn't
kerotan_eater
Banned
The only issue with playing it in order is that 1 has aged badly.
It's got the most cliched plot and it is mechanically almost broken by today's standards.
I still liked it but you need to give MGS1 time to click, like a lot of time. Also 3 by the way has a boring beginning, don't judge it by its opening act.
Definitely do not play 4 first, that would be utterly ridiculous as a move.
It's got the most cliched plot and it is mechanically almost broken by today's standards.
I still liked it but you need to give MGS1 time to click, like a lot of time. Also 3 by the way has a boring beginning, don't judge it by its opening act.
Definitely do not play 4 first, that would be utterly ridiculous as a move.
NullPointer
Member
Yeah, that's not how I mean it. I don't think it sucks at all. I think its melodramatic and insane, yes, but it has its own magnificent sense of style and vision and interactivity. Its convoluted and quirky and weirdly deep in some respects, but cheesy too. Its not good because of how bad it is, or something you enjoy like watching a really bad movie and mocking it. But its one hell of a spectacle and unique and so unapologetically full-tilt that is more than enjoyable on its own terms, even standalone.
I remember showing it off to a visiting friend a few months ago. And just the first 45 minutes, of cut-scenes, setup and gameplay absolutely floored him and got him to grab a PS3. I don't blame him.
So no sarcasm when I say I love it. And I'd be all over the next game if I knew what the hell was going on with the two game split, but am playing wait-and-see on that one.
Peace Walker came after MGS4....
MGS4 is a solid game with a storyline thats closed up by itself. But many characters made an appearance in earlier games and it does make a difference seeing all those characters again because MGS4 was meant to be the final chapter in the series. Some jokes and comments made by the characters or kojima are pretty much a hommage to his own game series.
If there is no time at all I would definitely read a synopsis before playing MGS4 and if you are really hardcore and have the time for it then you should play MGS1-3. Even though MGS1 is the oldest in the series, you should play it. The other games contribute way less to the experience of MGS4. Its an old fashioned story arc that kind of ends where it all started. I guess you could read up on MGS2 and 3, depending on your free time.
I just replayed MGS4 in 2013 because it got a trophy patch and it was really good to play it again after 4 years but I couldnt bring myself to play MGS1-3 again even though I had the time.
If there is no time at all I would definitely read a synopsis before playing MGS4 and if you are really hardcore and have the time for it then you should play MGS1-3. Even though MGS1 is the oldest in the series, you should play it. The other games contribute way less to the experience of MGS4. Its an old fashioned story arc that kind of ends where it all started. I guess you could read up on MGS2 and 3, depending on your free time.
I just replayed MGS4 in 2013 because it got a trophy patch and it was really good to play it again after 4 years but I couldnt bring myself to play MGS1-3 again even though I had the time.
Jack Scofield
Member
The story is nonsense whether or not you've played through the previous games. And the cutscenes are so long it's unbearable. I never ever began my second playthrough because the Mission Briefings were so long with absolutely nothing interesting about them
Well....list still stands I think
KittenMaster
Member
I can see how Peace Walker would be relevant even if it was made after 4.
shinobi602
Member
Sure, but you won't know what the hell is going on.
thesolidshark
Member
Yeah, I'd advise this too.
RPGCrazied
Member
Probably wouldn't help, though I'm halfway through peace walker and will have played every game after I beat it, but I barely grasp what the fuck is going on with the story. lol.
dragonbane
Member
Best response. I feel the exact same way. People who scream "you won't understand anything" don't have the experience of playing MGS4 first, so they don't know.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
MGS4 is basically a love letter to fans and packed to the rim with all sorts of references to the previous games. You won't be helplessly lost going into it as a series newbie (at least not too much more so than the average fan) but you'll miss out on lots of nods. Get the Legacy collection and play the first three games first as they're great. (Especially the 2nd one. Possibly the apex of the series in terms of awesomeness.)
Elitro
Member
I did exactly that.
I also downloaded the MGS database app for ps3 as well as read some wikipedia info on the past games... you can even watch youtube videos, i'm sure there are some explaining the story.
Personally i loved the game, i prolly missed out on some stuff but the overall experience was very worth it for me (i also loved the long cutscenes).
I also downloaded the MGS database app for ps3 as well as read some wikipedia info on the past games... you can even watch youtube videos, i'm sure there are some explaining the story.
Personally i loved the game, i prolly missed out on some stuff but the overall experience was very worth it for me (i also loved the long cutscenes).
KittenMaster
Member
Peace Walker is much more important for understanding MGS5 (well, its trailers at least) than 4 would be.
zerokoolpsx
Member
You can, but you'll be so confused.
